The Senate is convened.

• Today --
  • We will resume consideration of the House Message to accompany the Housing Bill (H.R. 3221).
  • We will not have any roll call votes.
  • Tomorrow we will vote on cloture on the Dodd-Shelby Amendement to Agree with the House (Dodd Amdt. 4983) around 11:00 AM.
  • Amendments to the Dodd-Shelby Amendment (Dodd Amdt. 4983) must be filed by 10:30 AM tomorrow.
  • We will need to cover FISA, Medicare, the emergency supplimental, and Housing before recess.
  • We will also vote on judges, hopefully following caucus lunches tomorrow.
• Filed cloture on the motion to proceed to the FISA Bill (H.R. 6304).

• Spoke on the FISA Act (H.R. 6304).
  • SUMMARY "my inclination is to vote in favor of the bill because of the importance of the activities of the telephone companies, notwithstanding my deep concern for civil rights. but there is a much better alternative, and that much better alternative would have been to have substituted the government for the telephone companies as the party defendant or now to submit the question of constitutionality to the district court"
• Spoke on the nomination of Michael E. O'Neill to district judge.
  • SUMMARY "it is especially worthy to have mr. o'neil confirmed because of the example it sets for people to come to undertake public service."

• Propounded a UC to extend the FAA Bill for 6 months. (Kyl objected on behalf of DeMint).
• Tomorrow --
  • We will convene at 10:00 AM.
  • We will resume consideration of the House Message to accompany the Housing Bill (H.R. 3221).
  • We will recess for caucus luncheons from 12:30 PM to 2:15 PM.
  • We will vote on cloture the Dodd-Shelby Amendment at approximately 11:00 AM.
  • We hope to vote on judicial nominations following the caucus luncheons.

The Senate stands in recess until 10:00 AM tomorrow.